Google appeals copyright ruling

Google has scheduled an appeal for 17 July in its copyright dispute with Belgian newspaper publishers, although the two sides expect to request an extension while they try to resolve the conflict amicably.

James Niccolai, IDG News Service
July 5, 2007

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Google has scheduled an appeal for 17 July in its copyright dispute with Belgian newspaper publishers, although the two sides expect to request an extension while they try to resolve the conflict amicably.

Spokespeople for Google and the publishing group, Copiepresse made the announcement

The court's schedule required Google to file its appeal 10 days ago, otherwise a ruling against it from February would have become permanent. But there will be no appeals hearing as such this month, and the two sides will merely ask the court for an extension while they continue their talks, said Catherine Anciaux, a legal advisor for Copiepresse.

A Google spokeswoman concurred. "There will be no substantive hearing for several months," she said.

Copiepresse, the publishing group representing Le Soir, Le Libre Belgique and other Belgian newspapers, sued Google last August for copyright infringement, arguing that it profits unfairly by posting snippets of its members' news stories on Google's websites without paying for their use.